Inside XIII
by Erik
Summary: [Poem Collection] Thirteen Nobodies united into one group — Organization XIII. Their sworn goal: regain hearts and become complete beings. Short insight into the minds of these incomplete characters.
1. XIII: Roxas, the Key of Destiny

A/N: Okay, it's been some years since I posted anything here, but I just thought this would be something good. I tried and failed to find anything quite like it elsewhere on the site, so I guess I get points for being first... Maybe not, but I can dream.

The poems will go in the Organization's numerical order beginning with Roxas and ending with Xemnas. They are meant to be set sometime before the events of _Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories_ while all thirteen of the members were alive and official members of the Organization at the same time. Also, all are written from the point of view of the members themselves.

First up: Roxas! Enjoy, read, review...

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**"No. XIII: Roxas, the Key of Destiny"  
By Erik Larence**

I reside in darkness.  
Even I cannot see myself.  
A memoryless night covers my sky.  
I know it is night  
For I remember its beginning.  
I remember the dusk.  
I knew who I was,  
But what I knew is gone,  
Enveloped by night.  
The truth will come, though.  
My memory is beyond the horizon;  
My memory is the sun,  
And I look for the dawn.

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A/N: One of the easier poems as Roxas is one of the more well-understood members of Organization XIII. I doubt that he had much else on his mind other than finding himself during his tenure as No. 13 in the Organization... It meant more to him than even his friendship with Axel, after all.

Oh, and I'll apologize for the length... but there's method to my madness.


	2. XII: Larxene, the Savage Nymph

A/N: Nobodies can be hard to truly write for... No feelings, just the memory of feelings, so when they express feeling, they're really just acting based on what their memories or imaginations tell them to act like. When you consider it that way, it brings a whole new level to characters like Larxene, someone who seemed to derive great pleasure from the misery of others... but did she ever _really_ feel pleasure from it?

Regardless of my ramblings, enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. XII: Larxene, the Savage Nymph"  
By Erik Larence**

I wish I could feel the anger  
That my mind tells me I should feel.  
Thinking of the emptiness I've become  
Inspires my deepest memories of envy,  
Envy of those that can feel.  
Even my insults, my longest allies,  
Give me nothing more than empty reminders.  
Every reminder brings more false anger,  
All my anger brings more insults,  
And the insults bring more reminders.  
It's a vicious cycle.  
It's _my_ cycle,  
Until I can feel again.

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A/N: I'll admit it... Larxene is my least favorite of Organization XIII. I just hate her personality: putting people down, insulting others to make herself feel good (well, as good as a Nobody _can_ feel) — I had my fill of that in high school. Still, thinking deeper about her did seem to give me a new insight into her and her angry personality... I hope I caught that insight accurately enough in this poem. 


	3. XI: Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin

A/N: A couple of poems a day should be good enough. They'll all be posted in no time at all. Anyone waiting for certain Organization members... :coughdemyxandaxelcough: ...needn't worry about me failing to complete the collection.

Enjoy, read, and review, as always!

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**"No. XI: Marluxia, the Graceful Assassin"  
By Erik Larence**

We've waited long enough.  
Those elders above us  
Do little of anything to advance our goal.  
Waiting won't bring us our hearts.  
We must take _action_.  
I've long tired of this emptiness.  
Like uncultivated soil,  
I lie seedless, vacant.  
I will wait no longer for the heart's seed.  
It's time I made my own plans.  
It's time that they see the truth.  
I am not a rose with a thorn  
But a thorn with a rose.

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A/N: My first version of this one totally lacked any kind of plant/flower imagery... It didn't feel right at _all_. Marluxia without flowers is like Axel without Roxas. 


	4. X: Luxord, the Gambler of Fate

A/N: Luxord was fun. Every group needs a gambling freak like Setzer...

Enjoy, read, review, ya' know? (Sorry... Just had to.)

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**"No. X: Luxord, the Gambler of Fate"  
By Erik Larence**

There is nothing that can be wagered  
That can't be won back.  
All we own, all our assets,  
Come and go from hand to hand.  
It can always return to us.  
Many things have been in my hands,  
And not all of it is still there.  
There are things that can be bet  
That should be never be wagered.  
The heart shouldn't be gambled  
As carelessly as I have done.  
It's a lesson hard-learned,  
But I'll bet my life to get it back.

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A/N: I hope it wasn't too much of a cliché... 

Demyx's poem should be available shortly... Some things need to be taken care of first.


	5. IX: Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne

A/N: Well, at least one person has been looking forward to this one. Demyx is quite a popular guy, it seems. This one should be somewhat interesting.

Without further ado, enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. IX: Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne"  
By Erik Larence**

The grayed halls of my soul  
Echo with the memories of music,  
Crisp, colorful, clear  
Against the lifeless walls.  
In solitude, I compose my songs.  
I touch the recollections  
Of feelings long gone,  
But memory, I know,  
Can never be enough,  
Not without _true_ feeling.  
Any hall that hears my notes  
Is doomed to be nothing—  
Nothing but a hall of empty melodies.

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A/N: This work comes in second place in the "Fun for me to write" category. Demyx and I share music in common, so it was an entertaining stretch... And points to anyone who recognized the reference to the Hall of Empty Melodies room in the Castle that Never Was. Little details like that are always fun. 


	6. VIII: Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames

A/N: Rejoice! No. 8 has finally arrived. Axel, probably _the_ most popular of Organization XIII — he's definitely among the most human of the group, but... Well, you know the story.

Enjoy, read, and review...

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**"No. VIII: Axel, the Flurry of Dancing Flames"  
By Erik Larence**

Is this really just a memory?  
These thoughts, these compulsions—  
Are they truly mere shadows  
Flitting on the edge of feeling?  
They, much like him,  
Seem like so much more.  
He makes me feel complete.  
How is this possible?  
I don't know at all,  
And actually I don't care.  
If this is a feeling's shadow,  
Then one fact rings clear and true:  
A true heart is worth any wait.

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A/N: Let's face it: Roxas was at the center of his motives for just about everything we saw him do. Whether it's simply strong friendship or, as many seem to enjoy thinking, something a bit more intimate, I tried to make this poem fit well in either case. 


	7. VII: Saïx, the Luna Diviner

A/N: If Axel is as human as the Organization gets, then Saïx is a machine. I believe he's the picture of what Nobodies _really_ are underneath their emotion acting. No wonder they want their hearts back.

You know the routine: enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. VII: Saïx, the Luna Diviner"  
By Erik Larence**

The worst of all truths  
Is far better than  
The best of all lies.  
I feel nothing but stale emptiness.  
This is my reality.  
Pretending contrary is a futile act,  
A play in which I'll not perform.  
Memories of emotion are just that:  
Memories, things to hold and cherish,  
Not to live in.  
If I must be bereft of heart and cold,  
Then so shall it be.  
It is the worst of all truths.

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A/N: My best friend wasn't fond of Saïx at all; he basically called him a flat, unexpressive character... I felt like that was selling him a bit short, and this poem was born from that. He's a serious person who doesn't like to play around with useless acting, or at least that's what I think of him...

Halfway through — seven down, six to go.


	8. VI: Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer

A/N: This one took me almost an entire day to think up... Zexion was a hard one for me to understand... but when I thought about Ienzo, it all suddenly clicked to me.

Enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. VI: Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer"  
By Erik Larence**

Darkness offers a great many things,  
But it is far from generous.  
How can you defeat an enemy  
That hides among your allies?  
How can you kill a foe  
That you can't even see?  
Why waste energy with battle  
When you can win as well without it?  
The dark gives, but also it takes.  
It will erode your heart  
And eventually claim it as its own,  
Shunning the shell like nothing.  
Was the dark worth it, I wonder?

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A/N: Ienzo was Ansem the Wise's youngest apprentice who spurred him into his experiments into the darkness of the heart (for anyone who didn't bother reading the Secret Ansem's Report in _Kingdom Hearts II_)... Numbers 1 through 6, being Ansem's apprentices and betrayers, probably have varying degrees of affinity with darkness... Of course, darkness cost their Nobodies dearly. 


	9. V: Lexaeus, the Silent Hero

A/N: Lexaeus was rather simple (compared to Zexion and some others). He strikes me as one of the born warriors of Organization XIII... and I can understand warriors.

Of course, enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. V: Lexaeus, the Silent Hero"  
By Erik Larence**

The strongest survive.  
That's why this shell is here.  
My former heart was among the strong,  
But now that it's no more,  
This body is all I have left.  
In the light of these truths,  
I make this shell  
The strongest vessel that I can.  
Power is everything.  
With enough power, all is possible.  
When, at last, this body's power  
Is met with a newfound heart,  
All will be in my reach.

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A/N: I think it fits him rather well from what we've seen. Let's face it: he's the muscle of the group (not to say that he's stupid... just strong). 

I think that the founding members of the Organization would all have attractions to power, each in their own way, from "Knowledge is power" to "Hearts are power." Of course, some attractions are going to be stronger than others...


	10. IV: Vexen, the Chilly Academic

A/N: Mysteries comes in all forms (like the third symbol that Roxas draws on that table in the Library). Many enjoy solving mysteries if only so that they can have the pleasure of saying, "Aha! I knew it!" or "So _that's_ what it was!" It's a good feeling.

Onto No. 4, then. Enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. IV: Vexen, the Chilly Academic"  
By Erik Larence**

I don't miss it.  
The annoyingly superfluous emotions—  
They serve only as distraction.  
For one that lacks a heart,  
Studying it is made easier  
As objectivity is an uncomplicated matter.  
An empty shell is influenced  
By neither darkness nor light.  
However, there may be something I miss.  
The genuine feelings of curiosity,  
The — dare I say? — joy of finding  
An ever-elusive truth—  
I miss the feelings of an academic heart.

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A/N: Vexen, the smart one in Organization XIII — he's a man very dedicated to his studies even after his studies cost him his heart. He's either an idiot or a genius. 


	11. III: Xaldin, the Whirlwind Lancer

A/N: Organization XIII didn't get hardly enough screentime in _Kingdom Hearts II_. Without any kind of details into the personalities and relationships of members like Xaldin and Xigbar, writing for them requires a bit of imagination, necessary to fill in the massive blank spaces left to us. Still, with a little insight here and a dash of inference there, you'd be surprised what can pop up.

It's almost over... Enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. III: Xaldin, the Whirlwind Lancer"  
By Erik Larence**

I am a breeze of the void,  
Lacking matter, short of substance.  
What meaning is there  
In the life of a non-being?  
Coming and going, but never _being_,  
I fill my mind with purpose.  
I _will_ exist, I _will_ be complete,  
And I will do anything for that goal.  
It is my one goal,  
My reason, my purpose,  
For a being without purpose  
Is less than nobody.  
I will be more than the wind.

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A/N: The first time I saw Xaldin in online Japanese magazine scans, I _knew_ that he was going to be a tough one. I'm usually not intimidated by the appearance of bosses, but _six spears_ was enough to frighten me. 

Of course, knowing this, he grew to be one of my favorite — if not _the_ favorite — of the Organization. All he needs is more screentime...


	12. II: Xigbar, the Freeshooter

A/N: Almost finished... I mentioned that Demyx's poem was second place in the "Fun to write" category; much to even _my_ surprise, Xigbar's was the most entertaining for me. It gave me a way of seeing things that I didn't think about before, and it was fun to work with.

On that note, enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. II: Xigbar, the Freeshooter"  
By Erik Larence**

Life is full of shots.  
Shots can come from anywhere  
And can hit anywhere,  
But the most dangerous of all shots  
Is the shot into the darkness.  
Blind aim can be just as bad  
As getting hit yourself.  
Missing leaves you open,  
And losing your life  
Is the best you can hope for.  
Through some twist of fate, though,  
I've been given something shooters rarely get:  
One… more… shot.

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A/N: I worked my brain on how to write this one, and then it hit me after I wrote that first line. Everything after that just kind of spilled out onto the paper... That doesn't happen too often with me. 

If Saïx is character without personality, then Xigbar is personality without character. He expresses more feeling than Saïx, but we never really got the chance to see _why_ he acts the way he does. Without any insight into why he behaves like he does, I instead decided to go from another point of view: his weapon. I started thinking from a shooter/sniper perspective, and... well, you see the result.


	13. I: Xemnas, the Superior

A/N: Light, darkness, and nothingness might be eternal, but my poems aren't. For the readers who've made it this far, I thank you for your time and attention. Now, permit me one last little spurt of poetry and thought, and I'll be on my way until next time.

One last time, enjoy, read, and review.

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**"No. I: Xemnas, the Superior"  
By Erik Larence**

Hearts are power,  
And one that possesses the source of hearts  
Can truly be called "all-powerful."  
Hearts belong to the strong;  
They will belong to me alone.  
By the time this comes to fruition,  
This Organization shall fall as I planned.  
Power is best not shared,  
Especially between thirteen.  
I alone will survive the fall  
To create a new world  
That shall last forevermore  
Under my everlasting power.

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A/N: How many people noticed that all the poems in this collection were exactly thirteen lines long? It was a nice touch that I thought would be apropriate...Organization _XIII_, made of _thirteen_ Nobodies... Why not have thirteen thirteen-lined poems? 

Though it was never stated in _Kingdom Hearts II_, this expresses one of my little theories that I think fits Xemnas like a glove. I think that Castle Oblivion was a ploy by Xemnas to eliminate half of the Organization in one swoop, and the fights in _Kingdom Hearts II_ were staged by Xemnas to kill the remaining half of them after they outlived their usefulness so he could keep the power of Kingdom Hearts for himself. (He could've entrusted the battle at Hollow Bastion to Xaldin or Saïx, but _Demyx_? That might as well have been a death sentence...) In fact, I'm almost thinking about writing a short story from Xemnas's point of view about how he set them all up for the slaughter...

Again, thanks for reading. I hope it was worth the time and attention. 'Til next time...


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